Stay Strong, Daddy!
by ruiiko
Summary: Not wanting Yuki to feel any stress and pain, her mother always tried to convince her that her father was just sleeping. And of course, Yuki beileved her. Yet, she couldn't help but think that something was much more wrong than just being asleep for so long.


**Sort of a sadder fic I've done, but... yeah. Enjoy and review!**

* * *

The sound of the mechanical machine beeped, red and green lines passing by, as the young man slept. Sun shone down through the curtains on his pale face, an air mask tied around his face. Right by his side was his wife, who grasped his hand tightly with a solemn look on his face. Her young son, Ryuto, sat in her lap, absentmindingly biting his finger nail.

The only one who hadn't came close to the husband and father of two, was his young daughter, who instead, kept her distance, sitting in a chair, kicking her legs back and forth as her tiny hands gripped the sides of the chair. Her feet would scrap against the foor, or hit the legs of the chair every few moments. Yuki didn't dare look up. She didn't want to see her father in so much pain, for it only made her fee hurt aswell.

Her feet hit the legs of the chair again.

Yuki's mother, Lily, winced, squinting her eyes shut for a moment to collect herself. She then turned to face her daughter, and quietly, yet firmly said, "Please stop, Yuki."

"What?" Her gaze snapped up, her eyes wide. "I'm not doing anything!" She countered with a strong voice.

Lily's eyes shut again, as she put a finger to her lips, before turning around again. Yuki crossed her arms, looking away with a pout on her face. Her mother was always like this. She was always telling her to be quiet when in the hospital. Yuki didn't understand why, though. She supposed her mother was right, in a way. She didn't want to wake her father up, after all!

"You should really come say hi to your dad, you know." Lily turned around to Yuki with a sigh. Her eyes weren't sparkling, there wasn't a smile of any sorts on her face. Infact, her skin looked rather pale, just like daddy's, her eyes sunken back and dull.

"I already did." Yuki huffed under her breathe. She had as soon as they came to the hospital. Like usual, she would push a chair over to his bed, climb atop of it, lean over and kiss her fathers cheek, and place an apple on the desk next to him. '_Wake up, daddy.' _She'd always say. But to no avail. She woud get no response other than the beep of the machine.

Lily sighed again, shaking her head, and turned away. Yuki frowned then, immediaty feeling bad for being so sassy to her mother. The young girl jumped out of her seat, hesitantly walking over to her fathers bed, as she fiddled with the hem of her skirt. Lily shifted Ryuto to her free knee, and swooped Yuki up into her arms onto her other free knee, so she could get a better look at her father.

Yuki's face was emotionless, as she looked him over. Pale as ever, though his chest would still rise. He was still breathing. He was just sleeping! Her mother had told her that countless times before, not wanting the young girl to be stressed out like herself, and Yuki believed her, of course. Yet, she couldn't help but think, something was wrong. Why wouldn't daddy wake up? He was always the first one to wake in the family. Yuki would rise just as early as he would sometimes, and catch him cross legged, reading the daily news paper with his favorite mug of coffee in his hand.

Yuki missed that.

"Daddy," Yuki whispered, leaning in so her lips were right next to his ears.

He stirred in his sleep. Yuki gasped, immediately pulling away as her cheeks broke out into a blush. Her father's eyebrows scrunched together, and then slowly, his eyes opened.

"Kiyo!" Lily cried out, as tears came to her eyes. A big smile came to Yuki's face.

"Hey baby," He mumbled, his voice still sleepy. He felt Lily's grip on her hand, and gently squeezed back. He then glanced over to Yuki and Ryuto, a big smile breaking out onto his face. "Hey princess. Hey champ." He addressed each of them, reaching out to brush their cheeks with the palm of his hand.

"How are you feeling?" Lily asked, as she tried to hold back tears. Yuki turned to her mother with a confused look on her face.

"Why are you crying, mommy? Daddy's awake!" Yuki cried.

Lily whipped some more tears away. "I'm not c-crying..."

Kiyoteru kept a smile. He then reached out to Lily, brushing her tears away. "Yuki's right. Don't cry. I'm here. And I'm fine." He re-assured, though his voice was weak.

A bittersweet smile came to her face, feeling how cold his hand was against her skin. She shook her head, she knew better. But she had to be brave infront of her children. Kiyoteru sat up, moving closer to her, as his arms opened. Lily accepted, her arms circling around him, clinging to the fabric of his hospital nightgown he had worn for so long. She just let tears run, as her husband cooed to her, rubbing the back of her head gently and supportively.

Ryuto looked over to Yuki. "Why is she crying, Yuki?"

Yuki looked up to her mother. 'I think she's just happy."

"Why would she be crying if she was happy then?" Ryuto wondered, as he walked closer to his older sister. She smiled down at him, as she took his hand in hers.

"Tears of joy."

Through the midst of all the happy hugging and emotional conversations, as Kiyoteru pulled away from Lily, a pang of pain was shot into his body, right up to his heart. A gasp escaped his lips, as his eyes widened, hand clutching his chest, as he fell back into the bed. The machine was going crazy, beeping ike no tomorrow!

Nurses rushed in, pushing aside the two young children, prying away the wife. "Stand aside!" One of them said, as she ripped open Kiyoteru's hospital gown.

"What's going on?!" Lily yelled, trying to push them out of the way so she could see him. But they pushed her back.

"Please, just give us room, ma'am!" That same nurse yelled. Another nurse then wrapped an arm around Lily, pulling her out of the room, all while the small children watched in fear. The nurse then glanced down at them, and cocked her head, signalling for them to follow. Yuki and Ryuto glanced at eachother, then back to their father. "But..." Yuki mumbled.

"Let's go!" The nurse shouted at the children. Their eyes widened, and they scuttled after her, out of the chaotic room.

* * *

An hour or two passed. The group of three had been left stranded to wait outside of Kiyoteru's room, waiting anxiously. Yuki and Ryuto complained of hunger, and Lily just snapped at them to hush up. She didn't take them out to lunch, as she had wanted to stay by her husbands room until she heard of any sort of outcome. Yuki and Ryuto couldn't go down to the cafe, either, because they were too young. They would surely get lost.

Finally, after some time, a doctor strolled over to them, a clipboard in hand, a grim look lit up his face. Lily looked up, and quickly stood up to see eye to eye with him, hand in hand with both of her children. 'Well?" She asked. "Is he going to be okay?" She asked, but just seeing that look on his face told a whole new story. Not a good one, either.

The doctor was quiet for a long while, before taking in a deep breathe and speaking. "I'm... afraid not." Lily's jaw dropped, a horrified expression taking over her face. "W-what...?"

The doctor flipped through some notes, and looked over to his room. "We've done the best we could, but our best wasn't enough. He's still alive. But I'm afraid he won't have much longer. I suggest you say your goodbyes."

'_Goodbye?' _Yuki thought to herself, suddenly feeling numb. She didn't want to say good bye!

Lily looked down on her children, who were sitting in silence. Yuki could feel the colour and warmth slipping from her face. 'Stay here, okay kids?" Lily requested in a hushed tone. Ryuto nodded, but Yuki didn't do anything. She just sat there.

With a sad sigh, Lily entered Kiyoteru's room. All was silent again. But Yuki's mind was running rampid. All she could think about were all the good times she and her daddy had had. He was always teaching her something new everyday. He would always praise her and pat her on the head when she got a good grade in school.

Yuki was always super close to her father. How was she supposed to be close to him if she had to say _goodbye_?

Yuki squeezed her eyes shut, wanting to block everything out.

But before she knew it, her mother was standing before her once again, motioning for her to enter her fathers room. She didn't have to tell Yuki twice. The young girl jumped out of her seat and hurried into her fathers room.

The lights were dimmed. The curtains were closed, and he wasn't hooked up to many moniters anymore. Only that constant sound of the machine reading his heart. Yuki approached with caution, feeling rather hesitant. She climbed into the chair next to him, just staring at him. He was awake. But he was breathing heavily. His head rolled over to Yuki, and he smiled weakly. Yuki smiled back. "Hi daddy."

"Hey princess," he breathe, a shaky hand reaching out for hers. Yuki placed her hand on his, immediately noticing how cold he was. "Daddy, you're so cold!" She whined.

Kiyoteru laughed shakily. "I know."

The two fell silent again.

Kiyoteru spoke up again. "Yuki, I'm dying. You knew that already, but my condition has worsened. I feel it. My heart won't stop beating, it feels like i'l explode any minute now."

Yuki squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to believe anything he was saying. She felt tears in her eyes.

Kiyoteru continued to speak. "You understand, right, Yuki? Okay? I need you to do something for me."

Her eyes opened, now glossy and red, tears ready to spill any minute now. "What is it?" She arily asked.

"I-I need you to look after your baby brother, and your mother. Okay? Can you do that?" He asked, squeezing her hand tighter.

Yuki nodded, as tears began to poor. She felt her throat clamping up in pain, she was speechless.

"Your mother is very sensitive. She tries not to show it, but she is. Go easy on her. Help her around the house. Be nice. Okay?" He asked.

"Y-yes, daddy..." Yuki mumbled inbetween cries.

Kiyoteru smiled, as he brushed the tears from her eyes, like he did with mommy. "You'll be fine."

Yuki was silent, as tears continued to pour. Then, she broke down. "But what am I going to do without you?" She whispered. "You're supposed to be there for me! You're supposed to praise me and pat my head when i get a good mark, you're suppose to teach me, you're suppose to help me with m-my homework, and..." He cut her off, placing a finger of her lip.

"Shh," He commanded, and Yuki felt herself calm down slightly, though her tiny frame wouldn't stop shaking. 'I'll always be with you, Yuki. In your heart." He then reached over, pulling her into the bed so he could hug and hold her one last time. Tears began to pour again, as she clutched onto him. She didn't want this moment to end.

But sadly, it did.

"i love you, yuki. Take care," He said, before the beeping stopped completely, and a red line crossed the screen. Yuki could feel the life escaping from her father, making her sob harder.

Lily had to prie Yuki off of him, pulling the kicking and screaming child out of the hospital. "Let's go home." She whispered, sending a final glance to her husband's room. She felt the tears roll down her cheek, and it only pained her more to hear her children cry on the way out.

It was a solemn ride home.

Solemn, because it was all over now.

And that pain was more worse than seeing Kiyoteru sick and struggling in the hospital.


End file.
